Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Anyone hike Whitney & Longs Peak, CO?

I did Whitney last year in August and didn't have a problem with any "fear of heights" issue. I was wondering if anyone has hiked up Longs Peak in Colorado and had any issues with the trail and "exposure" on that route. Can anyone who had done both make a comparison for me? Thanks!

I’ve been fortunate to hike Whitney and Longs several times. I presume you want to compare the Whitney Trail with the Keyhole Route on Longs. While quite long and tiring as a day hike, the Whitney Trail is Class 1 hiking - the route is well paved, provides a relatively easy grade, and doesn’t have any real exposure, though I know that some folks feel that the “windows” are somewhat exposed. The Keyhole Route is shorter and has less gain/loss then Whitney, but has Class 2 and a couple of short Class 3 sections. Class 2 involves off trail hiking/navigating and/or boulder hopping. Class 3 involves scrambling or simple climbing, requiring the use of hands.

The Class 2 and 3 sections of the Keyhole Route are comparable to the sections of the Mountaineers Route following Iceberg Lake on Whitney, which are also rated Class 2 and 3. I absolutely love both routes, but personally find the Keyhole Route slightly more exhilarating and exposed.

Keep in mind that the non-technical hiking season for the Keyhole Route typically only lasts about 2 or 2 ½ months, beginning mid July. The recommended start time for Longs is a few hours earlier than Whitney due to the threat of early afternoon thunderstorms. Both routes are very popular, and therefore somewhat crowded.

Whitney Trail Keyhole Route

Distance ~22 miles ~15 miles
Elevation Trailhead 8,361’ 9,400’
Elevation Summit 14,497’ 14,255’
Elevation Gain 6,136’ 4,855
Day Hike Permit Required Not Required
Class 1 1, 2, 3

Here are a couple of excellent links for the Keyhole Route:

Trip Report w/Photos http://www.mtnds.com/hikes/mrh/mrh20.html
Info http://www.summitpost.com/show/mountain_link.pl/mountain_id/138

Enjoy.

I've heard a lot about the "narrows" section of the Keyhole route. How much exposure is there, and how long is that section?

The “Narrows” section of the Keyhole route is quite short, and can be traversed in a few minutes. The Narrows is about the width of a sidewalk at its narrowest point, and, true to its reputation, does offer opportunities for some great hero shots. Take a look at the photo of the Narrows in the excellent Trip Report I found on the web, which I provide a link for in my previous post. Honestly though, the photo makes it look a lot worse than it really is. The footing is good and the rock can be used as a handrail if desired. The “Windows” sections of the Whitney Trail are wider than the Narrows, but don’t offer the comfort of a handrail on one side.

Having been thru the windows on Whitney a couple of times, I can honestly say they did not bother me at all. I can't say that the Narrows wouldn't bother me some, at least from what I see in the trip report. Looks like a lot of exposure! Still, it looks like an awesome hike. Maybe next summer that will be the goal.

Thanks for the links for the Keyhole Route. I want to try and get the overnight permit for August for the camping by the Boulder Field if we thought we could handle the exposure. We didn't find the exposure on Whitney to be tough at all, so we will see about the "narrows" on Longs. It looks more exposed, but one side always would have a hand hold for shakey knees.
Thanks for your thoughts and experience!

You'll enjoy a terrific view of the Keyhole and the North Face of Longs from the Boulderfield. Since you're camping at the Boulderfield, if you have some extra time, you may want to do the short (but strenuous) hike up to Chasm View. From Chasm View you'll have a thrilling view of the famous Diamond and Chasm Lake way down below.

Also, if you have the time and energy, while in the RMNP, you may want to consider the following three hikes as well(my personal favorites): Glacier Gorge, Hallett Peak, Chasm Lake.

Enjoy.

I've done Longs and am getting ready for Whitney this spring. For Longs, camping in the Boulder Field is a treat - the down side of course is that you have to pack up a lot more gear. I thought it was a good choice for my team though, yet I still want to go back and do Longs as a day-hike.

I know next to nothing about Whitney. My son-in-law just got passes for May 29th, so I'm game to try. I live in Iowa so it will be a big deal for me just to get out there. My daughter and son-in-law live in LA... so they can always try again later, or climb some other mountain. The messages on this list have confirmed what I had heard about Longs being shorter, but more difficult. I never felt any danger of falling on Longs. The first time through the Key Hole does take your breath away though.

JET

James,
You will love Whitney! But that early in the year you will probably need crampons and an ice axe. We climbed in Aug. and snow had been gone for a few weeks. We didnt do it as a day hike but camped at the last camp site before the 99 switch backs I think it was called 'trail camp'.
Tough climb to get there, like climbing a set of stairs 6 miles long with a pack. We stayed the 2 nights, the day before and after the hike. Watching some of the day hikers suffer, we were glad we camped 2 days. But any way you do it will be a treat I sure.
Again check the message board to see if you will need axe, and cramp ons, and have a good time.

Its only 2 months away now!

Remember, if you dont climb Whitney this year you will be another year older when you do!

I hiked Longs a few years back. Having a fear of heights, I lived in mortal terror of The Narrows for weeks before the hike, envisioning myself taking one look at it and turning back. When I actually got there, though, I was surprised to find that it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. The first step over the big rock separating the top of The Trough from The Narrows was a little airy, but after hugging the wall there for a few seconds it wasn't too bad.

I actually felt more exposed near the top of The Trough, especially on the descent, and on The Homestretch. The latter is a bit on the steep side, and the cracks most people use to ascend are a bit shallow at some points. Fortunatley there was no wind on that day, and I was able to stand upright on some parts by using my hiking poles at their fully collapsed height.

By the way, I've camped at Whitney's Trail Camp on four occasions, and I have to say Boulderfield struck me as a pretty miserable place to camp. Aside from being 800 feet higher and much rockier, the people at Boulderfield as I passed through seemed far colder, more tired, and more cramped than those you see strolling liesurely about at Trail Camp. I was glad I did Longs as a dayhike instead of a pack, having acclimatized a few days earlier by hiking Hallet Peak.

I sent the topic starter an e-mail...I have a trip report w/ pics of our trip up Longs Peak on our website:

http://home.carolina.rr.com/beachav8r/longs.html

If anyone is interested I also made a free DVD about an hour long of our hike up Longs Peak...we had such an awesome time. We are hoping to attempt Whitney this fall...!

BeachAV8R